Re: Harmonic minor

reed ( (no email) )
Thu, 06 Mar 1997 22:51:14 +0000

At 09:04 PM 3/6/97 +0000, you wrote:
>Tim,
>
>At 10:39 PM 3/6/97 -0500, you wrote:
>>Wouldn't you agree, Reed, that Charlie Parker used the harmonic minor scale
>>extensively in minor keys, and the melodic seldom if never? I've always
>>felt that sometimes what could be analyzed as an exotic scale is really only
>>an original use of nonharmonic tones...
>>
>>>>
One more point ....

A minor key has a relative major.

Thus to play in Dm you are essentially playing
in F.

If you have a natural C you have a D natural minor and
with a C# (need for the the V7), then you have D
harmonic minor.

Either one could occur.

When you have a pure minor chord then you might have a #7.

Then you'll end up with a melodic minor.

However, is it really a melodic minor or just a #7 tension?

The real key is whether there is a natural 6 degree.

If there is no natural 6 then its just a minor chord with
a #7 and still no melodic minor scale.

reed

Reed Kotler
reed@justjazz.com
http://www.justjazz.com